Professor Joshua Belknap | Co Req ML | Spring 2023

Questions for “How to Read Like a Writer” 2/9/23

Please read “How to Read Like a Writer” by Mike Bunn

https://app.perusall.com/courses/eng-1101ml-d111-spring-2023/bunn-how-to-read-like-a-writer-288151137

and write a response to the questions below. We will begin posting on the class Open Lab site so we can comment on each other’s answers here as well as on Perusall.  If you have created an Open Lab profile, you can answer these questions by replying to this post. As homework, also create responses to the questions at the end of Bunn’s essay, and save on a Google Doc in your class folder shared with me.

  1. What did you think of the piece? Did you like it? Or not? Why. Explain! (Don’t worry my feelings won’t be hurt! Be honest!)
  2. What tips or ideas did you learn about how to Read Like a Writer? How might you apply it (use it) when you read?
  3. Can you explain what you think the author means when he says, “When you read like a writer, you are trying to figure out how the text you are reading was constructed so that you learn how to ‘build’ one for yourself” (74). Be specific. Share a personal example, if possible.
  4. Let’s think about the “context” of this text. What is the author (Mike Bunn’s) purpose in writing this piece? Who is his intended audience?
  5. What is the genre of this text? Its okay if you don’t know! Just give it a shot! (essay, article, poem, etc.)
  6. What did you notice about HOW this text was written? Choose one observation!

4 Comments

  1. Denisa

    1. I like it because the author organized very strictly his writing and each paragraph shows interesting ways to learn about reading and writing.
    2. The tips/ideas I’ve got from this essay is to understand the purpose of the writing, what type of writing I’m reading, the author’s main idea, that from now I will think about while reading any type of text.
    3. The author wants to let the audience understand the main idea of the text and help them create creative thoughts. The understanding of the author’s main idea can show you a better way of writing your own ideas.
    4. The author with this piece of writing refers to the students that usually had difficulties understanding the writer’s writing. Bunn’s purpose is to help students to become better at writing and to understand how to interpret any type of readings.
    5. The genre of this article is an essay that shows the students or any other readers how to understand to read like a writer, the context of reading and the ideas how to write an article, essay or any other type of writing.
    6. I’ve noticed that Bunn surveyed a lot of students and by that he focused specifically on the most important points of reading like a writer and to become one. The answers of the survey about difficulties of students on reading a text and writing an essay helped the author to focus on the main points to explain ways to read like a writer.
  2. Duc Giang

    1.What did you think of the piece? Did you like it? Or not? Why. Explain! (Don’t worry my feelings won’t be hurt! Be honest!)

    -> I think this piece is fantastic. I like it because it helps me understand that reading brings a lot of benefits. Also the author explains how reading is important and replacing reading is like a writer.

    2.What tips or ideas did you learn about how to Read Like a Writer? How might you apply it (use it) when you read?

    -> A tip I learned about how to Read Like a Writer is reading for content or to better understand the idea of writing. That means I have to understand what the text is talking about and use that idea to write and explain it. I might apply it when I read a text and I can feel a text is most important and understand the way to write.

    3.Can you explain what you think the author means when he says, “When you read like a writer, you are trying to figure out how the text you are reading was constructed so that you learn how to ‘build’ one for yourself” (74). Be specific. Share a personal example, if possible.

    -> I think the author wants to explain that everyone has a different way of writing but same as making a clear point. Moreover, people use different ways to make a clear point, to use the quotes to explain, to use their own life experience to do.

    4.Let’s think about the “context” of this text. What is the author (Mike Bunn’s) purpose in writing this piece? Who is his intended audience?

    -> I think the author’s purpose in writing this piece is to explain to fellow writers that when you read a book you should try. His intended audience is other people who are interested in or are already writers.

    5.What is the genre of this text? Its okay if you don’t know! Just give it a shot! (essay, article, poem, etc.)

    -> I think the genre of this text is an educational essay.

    6.What did you notice about HOW this text was written? Choose one observation!

    -> I noticed in this text that he uses various examples from stating how to read. The author gives many type examples to give a variety of different people to get his point. He gave the reader an example because he wants everyone to understand and opportunity to grasp the point.

  3. carlagarcia

    1. In my opinion, this helped me have a very clear way of thinking about reading and writing and how this could benefit you with so many things, and most important how to write a proper essay. The only thing with this passage is that for me it had many strategies the author was letting us know and I felt very overwhelmed by it. 

    2. My tip could be think smaller by breaking down the story scene by scene. I will apply this by having a close look at each scenario to see how it fits into the overall narrative and how it brings the scene closer to each of those significant set pieces.

    3. According to the quote, in order to understand what the writing is trying to express, you must adopt the author’s mindset.

    4. He encourages college students to analyze literature in other more useful ways. Bunn contends that students will comprehend literary works more fully if they actively challenge the author’s decisions rather than simply reading texts mindlessly to pass the time or because they were given to do so.

    5. The genre of this text I think it’s an essay. 

    6. I noticed that he includes personal experiences in this text. In addition, he uses a variety of examples from many subjects to illustrate his points. Because he uses a variety of examples, he gives people the chance to understand the point.

  4. Ardjola

    1. I like it because his writing and explanation its very clear to understand the meaning of it and makes it very interesting for us to learn about writing and reading too.
    2. The tips I ‘ve got from this writing or essay are that it helped me to better understand how to apply different type of ideas and express them so you can give different type of opinions or options to the readers. I would apply it on my writings or the way I would text to someone.
    3. The author wants to show to others and let them get a better understanding of the main idea of the essay he wrote and also shows how to get others attention by your writing.
    4. The authors purpose of this context is to let the audience know that you can always have a better version of writing if you really are into it and you should always apply pressure in it. His intended audience are those that are interested in writing and do a better work out of it.
    5. The genre of this article its a essay because it includes every part of what an essay contains.
    6. I ‘ve noticed that Burn focused on the most important things and where students should have their attention on. And also i noticed that he uses a lots of examples of writing to make it easier.

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